Laser beam scanning (“LBS”) display devices form displayed images by using mirrors, such as microelectromechanical systems (“MEMS”) mirrors, to direct a laser beam onto a display region. In such display devices, the mirrors may move over the course of a frame to control the location in the display region toward which the laser beam is directed. Some LBS displays use two mirrors, a fast-scan mirror that scans under resonance and a slow-scan mirror that scans linearly.
Mirrors used by LBS display devices are susceptible to electrical noise, mechanical noise, and physical shock that can damage the mirrors in certain circumstances. Additionally, a mirror control system might overdrive mirrors to meet certain control targets. This is particularly true for slow-scan mirrors, as they require a mirror control system to suppress the natural resonance of the mirror and quickly correct for external disturbances. As an unintended consequence of these processes, however, the mirror control system might overdrive a mirror, which can force a mirror into very high angles or very fast acceleration and damage the mirror.
Mirror control systems might also overdrive a mirror during startup of a LBS display device. For example, a mirror control system might drive a mirror to its maximum allowable acceleration in order to realize a fast start of an LBS display device. During this process, the mirror control system outputs a mirror drive signal having the largest possible amplitude. This, however, can overdrive a mirror past its maximum allowable displacement, thereby damaging the mirror.
The disclosure made herein is presented with respect to these and other technical challenges.